The Yearling

The Yearling

Penny Baxter

Orry Baxter

Jody

Buck Forrester

Pa Forrester

Mr. Boyles

Lem Forrester

Fodderwing

Deckhand (uncredited)

Mrs. Saunders (uncredited)

Arch Forrester (uncredited)

Captain (uncredited)

Twink Weatherby (uncredited)

Pack Forrester

Mate (uncredited)

Mr. Ranger (uncredited)

Eulalie Boyles (uncredited)

Millwheel Forrester (uncredited)

Gabby Forrester (uncredited)

Doc Wilson (uncredited)

Oliver Hutto (uncredited)

Flag the fawn doesn't make his first appearance in the film until one hour has passed.

Louis B. Mayer considered Ann Harding for the role of Ma Baxter and had her test in the early '40s.

Filmed in the Juniper Prairie Wilderness Park in the Ocala National Forest in Florida. There is a hiking trail there named The Yearling Trail in acknowledgment of the film.

When Jody is sitting with Flag, you see little buds where he is beginning to get antlers. In the next scene with Flag, as they are going to bed, you can clearly see that the deer has none at all.

Position of Jody's hands change when he hides his laugh after Ma tells a story during the storm.

Jody's hold on Flag changes as he realizes the rain stopped.

Penny Baxter: [on the ocasion of the buryal of Fodderwing] Oh Lord. Almighty God. It ain't for us ignorant mortals to say what's right and what's wrong. Was any one of us to be doin' of it, we'd not of bring this poor boy into the world a cripple, and his mind teched. We'd of bring him in straight and tall like his brothers, fitten to live and work and do. But in a way o' speakin', Lord, you done made it up to him. You give him a way with the wild creatures. You give him a sort of wisdom, made him knowin' and gentle. The birds come to him, and the varmints moved free about him, and like as not he could of takened a she wild-cat right in his pore twisted hands. Now you've done seed fit to take him where bein' crookedy in mind or limb don't matter. But Lord, it pleasures us to think now you've done straightened out them legs and that pore bent back and them hands. It pleasures us to think on him, movin' around as easy as any one. And Lord, give him a few red-birds and maybe a squirrel and a 'coon and a 'possum to keep him company, like he had here. All of us is somehow lonesome, and we know he'll not be lonesome, do he have them little wild things around him, if it ain't askin' too much to put a few varmints in Heaven. Thy will be done. Amen.